Rockwell - Somebody Is Watching Me

Michael first heard this song at the Jackson family's Encino home in California, when Rockwell (aka Kennedy Gordy - son of Motown founder and owner, Berry Gordy) played him the demo.

"I played him the tape and the single stuck out in his mind," said Rockwell. "He asked if he and Jermaine could do the backing vocals. Michael really wanted to do the song because he identified so much with its message. He often feels like a fish in a bowl - always being watched by people wanting a piece of him."

Rockwell often used to stand in the wings when the Jackson 5 were on stage, and was seen as a young boy in the 1971 TV special, Diana!.

Michael missed the first recording session - he was at a theme park with one-time teen rival, Donny Osmond. The following evening, Michael recorded his vocals in just over an hour.

Rockwell used an alias to keep his identity secret from his father, and Michael's contribution went uncredited, as he was under contract to CBS/Epic and the single was issued by his previous record company, Motown.

The song was released in January 1984 - hit no.1 on the R&B singles chart and no.2 on the Hot 100 in the US, and no.6 in the UK. It also achieved no.1 in Belgium.

A cover version by Dutch trio BeatFreakz, featuring a Michael Jackson sound-a-like, hit no.3 in the UK in 2006 - video, starring a pint-sized Michael, parodied Michael's Thriller short film. BeatFreakz also recorded a version of P.Y.T..

Somebody Is Watching Me - Lyrics

Who's watching Tell me who's watching Who's watching me

Rockwell: I'm just an average man with an average life I work from 9 to 5, hey hell, I pay the price All I want is to be left alone, in my average home But why do I always feel Like I'm in the Twilight Zone? and...

Michael Jackson: I always feel like somebody's watching me And I have no privacy, whoa-oa-oa I always feel like somebody's watching me Tell me, is it just a dream

Rockwell: When I come home at night I bang the door real tight People call me on the phone I'm trying to avoid Or can the people on TV see me, or am I just paranoid?

Rockwell: When I'm in the shower, I'm afraid to wash my hair Cause I might open my eyes and find someone standing there! People say I'm crazy, just a little touch But maybe showers remind me of \Psycho\ too much That's why...

Michael Jackson: I always feel like somebody's watching me And I have no privacy, whoa-oa-oa I always feel like somebody's watching me Who's playing tricks on me?

Michael Jackson: I always feel like somebody's watching me And I have no privacy, whoa-oa-oa I always feel like somebody's watching me Tell me is it just a dream I always feel like somebody's watching me And I have no privacy, whoa-oa-oa I always feel like somebody's watching me Who's playing tricks on me? Who's watching me? I always feel like somebody's watching me Oooh, whoa-oa-oa I always feel like somebody's watching me Tell me, can it be? Who's watching me? I always feel like somebody's watching me Whoa-oa-oa I always feel like somebody's watching me Who's playing tricks on me? Who's watching me? I always feel like somebody's watching me Can I have my privacy I always feel like somebody's watching me Who's playing tricks on me?

No privacy is one of the worst things that can happen to a person. This song is funny in delivery but not in content. I always feel like celebrities are punished for entertaining us so well. All humans need privacy!

This service respects the copyrights. All the rights of the authors of the protected works, reproduced and communicated on this site, are reserved.
Except express authorization, any use of works other than listening within the framework of the family circle is strictly prohibited.